But Wait—There’s More!: Joining a Faction

It was just a couple days ago when you were peacefully walking through Tyrannia, on your way to spin the most boring of wheels, when the ground began to shake violently and a tremendous beam of light shot into the sky. You ran to the site, unable to contain your curiosity—and fear—and discovered some artefact buried in the ground. You joined the excavation, filled your backpack with dirt and junk every fifteen minutes, and eventually helped to reveal the Obelisk.

But now, everyone wants it. And it seems as if more groups just keep appearing, adding their bid to the pile.

The question is, who should you join?

The Thieves Guild

The only previously known society, the Thieves Guild is a loose association for the best thieves and criminals in Neopia. Some crimes are best committed alone, but sometimes there is profit to be made from a group effort, and that is what the thieves care about. Profit. No matter what is inside that Obelisk, everyone in the world can be reasonably sure, it will be profitable.

Their leader is well-beloved Kanrik, who once helped save the entire species of Boris from destruction at the hands of the Bringer of Night. Now, as the head of the Thieves Guild, he hopes to seize the Obelisk quickly in order to stake his guild's claim. Hopefully his screaming fangirls won't get in the way too much. (No promises, though; he's a dream boat *sigh*).

If you like money and the element of surprise, you should join the Thieves Guild.

The Sway

The Sway are truly the crème de la crème of Neopia. They are the secret elite, previously unknown to all but themselves, as they pull strings in every kingdom and land. Every major event in Neopian history has been influenced to some degree, usually a large degree, by the members of the Sway.

Their leader is a cruel and decisive Lenny who has no patience for failure. She became the leader because of her vision and killer instinct. She can survey the entire chessboard of an encounter and know exactly how the game will play out, and how to end with the most power. With someone so clever on their side, how could they lose?

If you like power and influence, you should join the Sway.

The Order of the Red Erisim

Unlike the previous two groups, the Order does not exist specifically for power. At least not originally. It is a gathering of the great wizards of Neopia, an organization dedicated to the practice and love of magic. Magic is one of the great forces in the world, and those who are able to wield it are able to help both themselves and others.

The most recent election (pft, elections, how democratic) saw the rise of a young Bori mage who plans to take the Order in a different direction. After years of wasting their potential, she hopes to turn their attention to some more practical pursuits. Even if she has to force the others into place, she knows this obelisk is the key to a brighter future for the Order. If they aren't the ones to control it, who knows what chaos could be unleashed onto the world?

If you like magic (and being a bit of a smart aleck), you should join the Order of the Red Erisim.

The Brute Squad

Might is right, that's the motto of the Brute Squad. Any disagreement can be decided with a fist or a sword. And whatever is in that Obelisk, well, that can only make my fist stronger, right? The brutes may not be big on motivational speeches and the political turmoil of Neopia, but they have a good chance to be the victors of the coming war. They're specifically trained for battle, and this is a battle. Why join another team that's guaranteed to lose?

A particularly clever Skeith was the man who brought the best warriors together. He saw the other factions scheming, and knew the best way to take control was to beat it out of everyone else. He called upon the strongest known fighters in the world, and now, they're here to take what they want.

If you like bashing things with large mallets, you should join the Brute Squad.

The Seekers

Science, my good friends! That is where power lies! Knowledge, academia! How could anyone think of wanting to rule the world before they understand it? The most important and noble pursuit any one pet can undertake is to seek out the truth of the universe.

Sometimes these scholars get caught up in their books and forget the world outside, but luckily one Gnorbu managed to lift his head long enough to hear about the Obelisk. Such an ancient artefact could hold the answer to thousands of mysteries, and create a thousand more! Why wouldn't they do their best to protect such a priceless artefact from the grabbing hands of low lives and schemers? Just because they lack physical strength, don't count them out just yet. They are truly the minds in this battle, students of history, strategy, and intentive plans. Never underestimate the power of a good brain and some dirty glasses.

If you like knowledge and truth, you should join the Seekers.

The Awakened

I... oh no. These guys, they're just... they're just plain old evil. Everyone else has some solid, understandable motive, but the Awakened? They mostly just like to kill things. There's no benefit to it, except the enjoyment of being evil. They are the zombies, the restless spirits, the mindlessly cruel.

And who are their leaders? The two who awakened them of course, the Twins. Not much is known about these two Wockies. All anyone knows is that they are children who have great power beyond their years and a thirst for chaos.

And cake. They really like cake.

If you like eating brains, you should join the Awakened.

But in the end, what matters is the Obelisk. What sort of untold treasures and power could be contained within? Magic, weapons, stone pie? Who knows? The only way to find out is to help your team—whichever that may be—defeat the enemy and claim it as their own.